Having just finished Red, White and Royal Blue I am left with a feeling of hope and happiness. It is a very modern take on a somewhat fairy tale. Boy meets boy...doesn't like boy...then falls in love. Mix in politics and different countries and a mix of fun characters and you have an enjoyable romance novel. I did feel it was a little winded in the middle but that towards the end it picked up pace and ended wonderfully.

I enjoyed the modern take on everything and the characters most of all had you rooting for them the whole way.,

Can't wait to see this in movie format!

This book had me grinning the entire time. I loved the relationship between Alex and Henry. I usually don’t like the “enemies to lovers” trope, but in this instance it was played in a way that had me laughing throughout the story. The two are just so cute together! I loved how fluffy this story was. Besides being full of gay love and cuteness, this story does touch on some tough topics that I felt were important for readers in this day and age. There’s a sexual awakening, and being brave enough to admit you are worth fighting for, for wanting things, and for chasing after those things. This is definitely a must-buy!

This book was hilarious, sweet, romantic, and so full of the types of love stories we are in desperate need of at the moment. Alex and Henry felt so real, they were definitely well constructed characters with admirable traits as well as some that weren't as admirable. The story itself was really scandalous, and I was honestly so engrossed by the story it felt really real. I found myself wishing I were living in this alternative United States versus the one we're currently in. I think that this story was very uplifting and all of the characters (main and side) were well developed and had their own mindsets. None of these characters felt static or flat, and the family relationships that were identified in the story were also very well considered. The whole story felt very genuine and that's something that I think is so important. It was everything I wanted to see in a story and more.

Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston is a YA Contemporary/Romance which I received as an Advance Reader Copy (ARC) from @NetGalley in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

SYNOPSIS | In this alternative historical fiction, Alex Claremont-Diaz is the First Son of the United States of America as his mother won the 2016 Presidential Election (instead of Donald Trump). Alex has had a lifelong rivalry with Henry the Prince of Wales and when they both accidentally fall onto Prince Philip's wedding cake, destroying it in the process, it is decided that damage control is needed to prevent the media onslaught about the disgruntled relations between America/Britain. Alex & Henry must pretend to be best buddies until that escalates into something more...

MY THOUGHTS | Simply put, I loved this. At the beginning I loved the banter between Alex & Henry and I loved to watch their relationship develop. It truly felt like as a reader we were going on the journey with them as they tried to figure out what they felt for each other, what it actually means, what is the longevity of their relationship etc. The primary reason why I only gave this 4 stars is that there was a lot of references to US politics and the British Royal family of which I have limited knowledge in both & also very little interest. Obviously these topics fit in with the story really well, but I could have enjoyed the story still without a history lesson in them.

This is one of my first LGBT romance and, to be completely honest, I was nervous going into it that I would not connect with the characters (me being a straight woman). HOWEVER my fears were completely unnecessary - we can all connect with two people who just want to love who they love without fear of not being accepted. Add to that, the two people are the First Son of the US and the Prince of England creates a fun and unique storyline. In an age where we don't all trust and believe in our president, this story gave me hope that the future can still be saved and will be different. If you are feeling defeated with our current political system, I highly encourage you to read this book and believe in a better future!

Thanks to St. Martin's Griffin and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

The son of the first female US president and the Prince of Wales love to hate each other, until a cakestrophe at the heir to the throne's wedding forces the two of them to pretend to be the best of friends.

And then through various circumstances the two of them end up becoming the very best of friends which progresses to the next level - a top-secret affair.

I am not sure how to classify this book. Not really my usual cup of tea - initially I though it was veering towards YA but some scenes are a bit too raunchy for YA.

I will say the author took on a daring task with their character's high profiles and connections. And I'm pretty sure no invitations to the White House nor Kensington Palace will be popping into the author's inbox anytime soon. Very clever use of various names of real members of the Royal Family - although I'm sure they are "not amused"!!

As you read on in this book, you just can't see anyway this relationship can evolve and become something without a HUGE sh*tstorm breaking out.

I liked how the author uses the main characters to highlight various inequalities in society and how they use their influences to do something about them.

A good ending that leaves everyone feeling good.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me the chance to read this book.

Firstly, I should probably say that I had HUGE expectations going into this book and I was not disappointed in any way. Both of the main characters, Alex and Henry, were fully fleshed out, three-dimensional people, who lived complex and relatable lives (despite one of them being a prince and the other a first-son). The romance between them was perfectly paced and developed, and so very heart-warming. I found myself falling in love right along with them.

The aspect that really made this book shine, however, was the inclusion of queer historical texts peppered throughout Alex and Henry's emails. While queer people may have been silenced, they have ALWAYS been here. We have always existed. By including these little sections, McQuiston manages to place Alex and Henry's 'historic' romance into this silenced but large shared history. It's just a wonderfully affirmative thing for queer readers to know that we're here, we've always been here, and this is a time for our stories to shine.

I truly loved every single word of this book and will be recommending it to everyone I know!

I was given an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

If it's possible to fall in love with a book, then I have. What are you doing here, reading this review? Hurry up and read this book if you are a sane, sensible person.

This book uses enemies to lovers trope, which I, as a hopeless romantic, am truly a sucker for. Henry and Alex both deserve the world but the world does not deserve them. I have decided to adopt them both into my family of underappreciated characters that really need a hug.

The plot is super cute and the characters are adorable. What else do you want in a book? This book is one of my favorites that I've read and will for sure be one that I'll come back to.

Thank you to the author for writing this amazing book, the publisher for bringing it to the world, and NetGalley for giving me a chance to read it before its release for an honest review!

I loved the premise of this book and really enjoyed the beginning. I've many wonderful reviews of this book, so I know that I am the very unpopular opinion in that I did not finish this book. I wasn't expecting the book to be as explicit as it was and I just wasn't into it. I've seen a lot of reviews for this book and how wonderful it is and what a good story it was, and I respect those opinions. It just wasn't a book for me. But I know this is going to be a well loved and popular book.

I received an eARC from the publishers via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 Stars. Thank you so much for this, it was just what I needed at the time! There were a few moments where it slowed and the chapters seem super long but the jokes and feels kept it flowing and held your interest.

I should have counted how many times I said aww, yes or laughed out loud while reading. It was probably close to every page. A fantastic debut with an adorable enemies to friends to lovers trope that will have you rooting for Alex and Henry the whole way.

I look forward to reading and seeing what Casey comes up with next!

I was a bit scared of reading this one. There were so many 5 stars I was scared that I would be the one weird person who didn't feel the same. But I worried for no reason. This book was so good and definitely deserves all the praise it's been getting.
When the First Son of the United States and the Prince of England get near each other, chaos normally ensues. And this time was no different. Now they're forced to act as best friends when it's clear they'd rather do anything but. Until they start looking at each other differently. They begin to forget, with Alex's mom's re-election bid and Henry helping to keep up his image, that they didn't hate each other after all....
I know I love a book when I catch myself with real feelings about it. And this was the case with this book. I went through the complete cycle of emotions, from laughing, crying, laughing while crying, the whole nine. I felt so connected to this book. I'm not sure of the last one I was into this much. Where I cried THIS hard. It was so good and I hope everyone else that reads it loves it just as much.
As for the romance, I LOVED it! The idea to put the son of the US and the Prince of England together was perfection. I loved their sneaking around too lol It gave new meaning to foreign affair! Although it literally took only one very small incident between them that made him change his mind, I liked that they got together so quickly and we were able to see them actually be together. And because of that, I was really terrified of what I knew was coming. I just KNEW there was going to be something that came up in their relationship that broke them up and by then I was so into their relationship that I was terrified to get there. (I was more worried about HOW it happened than anything but I don't want to add it for fear of spoilers)
As for the writing style, I did feel like it felt kind of jumpy. (But that could have been only my e-ARC not having any breaks in between changing scenes.) But I was still swooped into this story. I wanted it to be real life. From the 2016 election and the one from 2018 in Texas. I also laughed at so many parts, I found myself nervously talking to the book when the election came up, and swooning when certain other things came up. It's been a long time since I was this into a book. I didn't want to stop reading and I was so scared of what would happen to these characters.
Although its a bit on the lengthy side, I can't really say there was anything I didn't enjoy. This is one book I was so excited for for so long and I'm so happy it lived up to my expectations.I can't wait for everyone else to read this book too!

ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this! It was my first LGBTQIA novel and it was quite an excellent introduction to the genre. The story was so heartwarming and I admit I felt for both main characters during the ups and downs and I was reduced to tears on several occasions because the downs were heart wrenching and the ups were just beautiful Casey McQuiston did a marvelous job developing these characters and I would definitely read something else by her in the future. The dialogue was hilarious and overall it is exactly what I look for when I want a romantic comedy. I could relate to the diverse group of characters and I loved the ending. This author is definitely going to be on my watch list for the future.

This book was freaking adorable. The main character Alex represents a millennial perfectly. He is the poster child for America and everyone knows who he is. He goes on a little bit of a self-discovery where he finds out more about himself in ways he didn’t think he would (and they involve a prince).

This book is a great representation of a healthy LGBTQ+ relationship that spurs from a friendship. And by friendship, I mean that they hate each other and then are forced to be friends to appease the media and then actually become friends and then more. It made me so happy to see that they made each other happy. The way that they feel about each other is hard to express but Casey McQuiston made the love feel very real and something that one hopes for in a relationship.

Also, Nora is the epitomy of awesome. She is Alex’s best friend and is bisexual, 100% amazing and very sarcastic but will always get to the point right away. She is that friend that will tell you how it is even if it is difficult for you to see.

His sister June is also such a sweetheart. She is so caring and does everything a protective sister can to make sure that Alex is well looked after and stays out of trouble. She is the sister I would want if I had siblings.

The only thing that I wasn’t a huge fan of was the political aspect of the book. I love that they made the president a female for 2020 but aside from that, I am not really into politics and tend to avoid that subject in conversation. However, it was done in a way that kept it interesting and easy to follow so the book still progressed at a nice pace.

Overall, I would recommend this book. It is a fun LGBTQ+ book with a lot of new ideals that our future could really use and it just made me happy to read it.

Disclaimer: I received this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Alright, I'm going to try and be as non-gushy as possible but I'm not sure that's saying much. I loved this book, fell outright head over-heels for it. And I normally hate things that cause me a bunch of second hand embarrassment but, for some reason, the way this was written I didn't feel it?

The major thing in the book I loved so much, besides the characters + relationships, was the humor. It's so on point for the age range, and felt very real - and, since I am also in that age range, exactly hit the right spots for me.

Our main characters are Alex and Henry so of course we get to know them the best, but outside of that I felt like I knew the other characters all pretty well, considering. They felt real and developed, the only one I feel like was maybe a little two dimensional was the step-father and that might just be because he was a really nice guy and that's hard to swallow for me.

Anyway - this book is over four hundred pages and it did not feel like it. Full disclosure, I do read relatively fast, but even with that books can take time. This one, as soon as I started it I knew I was going to love it. And could not stop thinking/talking about it in between the times I had to read it.

I started it on the train on the way to meet friends for dinner and spent a lot of that time talking about it before I could get back on the train and read more. My friends are sick of hearing about me talking about this book by now, but they are all excited to read it. I have just started to reference it as "the gay book," even though there are many queer books we all read, it just feels right. I think it started out as "the gay prince book" so.

I don't want to go on too long or give even minor details away, because I think this book is just incredible to expereince. Which is why, if you've noticed, I've cut the synopsis down. The full thing is long as hell, but I feel like mostly all you need to know is son of the first female president and a prince of england. At least that's all I had to know.

Also I'd kill for a spin-off in relation to the side kids in this book, because I think it'd be amazing. Pezza just seems so cool, and I adored June and Nora. And the fact I actually remembered their names speaks of how much I adored this book. I'd, also, be okay with a spin-off novella or something related to one of the white house secret service whose dating someone in England, because she puts up with some much shit from Alex. So much.

I'm going to cut myself off here before I just keep gushing - I did say try not to, this is mild, to be honest. This book is amazing, though, definitely one of my favorites of the year. Honestly, probably just one of my favorites period.

It's a good, feel good book that, after the last few years, was deeply needed. It's got amazing characters who actually speak like people in their twenties do right now. It also has some hilarious moments and some serious ones, and just really amazing characters. I don't think I can say that enough, honestly, but I loved these characters. The writing is amazing, the setting is weird and interesting.

I cannot recommend this book enough, I just can't. If you pick up one book in the coming few months, I hope it's this one. Everyone needs some light in their life. Buy this book, borrow it from the library or a friend, because this is the queer book we need right now.

I loved this with my entire heart. A new favourite book for sure.

I laughed and cried my way through the whole book, and basically sobbed through the entire last third - both at happy and sad moments. All the characters are fleshed out and believable, and I enjoyed their individual personalities a lot.

Though this is a very sweet romance, I also found all the politics and international relations really interesting and thought-provoking. A world where a woman won the presidential election post-Obama is a world that I feel a lot of people wish they were living in right now, and this book is quite hopeful and intelligent in the way it presents a political narrative. Additionally, looking at the monarchy in England and the revisionist history around gender and sexuality was very enlightening!

Ultimately this book is very feel-good and sweet, with a good amount of racy behaviour and humour thrown in as well. If the genres/themes are ones you'd usually enjoy, please pick this up! You'll love it!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2786801029

Firstly, I’m finding this book incredibly hard to review because it feels as though different corners of my brain are having different reactions to it, and then there’s the matter of my heart, which is having its own responses, and there’s just a LOT going on here, pulling me this way and that. As a result, this is probably going to be extremely long, so…apologies in advance 🙈

In order to make things a bit easier for myself and create an illusion of organization, I’ll just go ahead and split this up into what I didn’t like and then what I did! SO:

THINGS THAT DIDN’T WORK FOR ME:

1) I was led to believe this was an enemies to lovers type story. It’s not. This isn’t a fault of the book so much as it is a fault of my own expectations, but there is some discordance in the book because it does internally reference this trope though it’s not…REALLY there? From the synopsis alone, which talks about “longtime nemeses” and “pretending to be friends,” I expected there to be a more drawn out hate-to-love thing going on, and I was READY for it. What actually happens is that one of the characters has for some time vaguely disliked the other for no extremely compelling reason, while the other is just a bit baffled by said dislike, and then by Chapter Two, genuine bonding and friendliness is already happening. The “staging a fake friendship” bit lasts but a second, with very little suffering or feet-dragging involved, because it quickly transforms into an enjoyable and genuine relationship for both members. I think the book brings it around later with an “ah, this is why I felt that way about you” hindsight thing, which kinda works! But to me it did feel like a bit of a waste of the framework, because the book doesn’t do anything new or interesting or…much of anything at all with it. This leads me to my next point which is…

2) The relationship development, in general, happened way too fast for me. Though I was still enjoying myself to an extent, I struggled with the first 50% of this book, because my Slow Burn Loving heart was feeling frustrated with the extremely quick pacing. It happens so early on that I don’t think it’s a spoiler to say Alex and Henry are already having sex with regularity by like, the 30% mark. Again, TOTES FINE. But the development from supposed “enemies” to “OH NO, FOND FEELINGS” to Doing the Sex is EXTREMELY FAST, I was kind of sitting there like “so what…what is the rest of the book then?” I was disappointed that their relationship had already escalated to that point so soon, and was dying for more conversations and more character exploration. For quite a while they still felt like Cardboard Cutout Characters from any given fanfiction or romance to me. Luckily by the halfway mark this improves, but that’ll be in my Good Stuff section! :’)

3) The (minor) characters weren’t distinct enough. There’s a decent number of characters in this book and most of them are likable and entertaining! But I didn’t really connect with any of them, aside from Alex and Henry, individually because I felt they all blurred together into a blob of Quirky Characters with almost identical voices. They all curse a lot, they all have the same sarcastic tone, they all act pretty similarly despite McQuiston telling me the ways in which they are different. June and Nora shone the brightest but even they felt too interchangeable for my liking. There were some really sweet, genuine moments between Alex and the rest of the gang that nonetheless fell too flat for me because the other characters didn’t feel real. Additionally, though I get that this is truly the way some people talk in 2019 and it was meant to show how down to earth everyone was, I started to get a little uncomfortable with how often the parental and authority figures in Alex’s life would jokingly say things like “I’m going to beat your ass” and “you’re a dumbass.” There’s a lot of sarcasm in this book (a la “ha ha ha don’t you dare! I will kill you!”) that felt genuine to the way people joke around…but after a while I was slightly [nervous laughter] about the constant violent joking, especially from the older characters.

4) Lack of originality. This seems like a silly one to say about a book which actually does have a pretty original premise! I cannot say I’ve ever read a book exactly like this, and it’s clearly drawing on and written for this very specific moment. As a whole I think it’s original, but on a scene-by-scene level I often had a feeling of “I’ve read this exact scene several times before.” I think most people who have read a fair amount of fanfiction in their lives will pick up on that. (And, to be clear, my saying “this book is like fanfiction” isn’t a dig at fanfiction IN THE SLIGHTEST. I have read incredible incredible fanfiction and adore it.) Writing ~classic trope-y~ scenes isn’t bad and tropes aren’t always bad! Every book has tropes! But in the first half of the book especially I did feel like certain things were being lifted from stuff I’d already read before soooo many times—even with phrasing and bits of dialogue I recognized—and it made it all feel a little stale and less impactful.

5) An overall slightly forced, inorganic feeling to the storytelling. This is a vague criticism, I know, and sounds like a completely grouchy one. I APOLOGIZE. But I’m not sure how else to express this Feeling I had throughout the whole thing that the author was lurking behind the scenes hoping to please me, a twenty-something Millennial™. Throughout the story McQuiston is clearly trying to capture the way teens and younger adults these days interact, and a lot of that DID feel very true to me—the pop culture references, the group chats, etc. But other times I felt more like she was sitting down and going “okay, how can I write a cool and relatable scene” rather than “how can I create some truly real-feeling characters and interactions?” Maybe this is just because I don’t tend to enjoy books that are more on the fluffy or humorous side, but at certain moments I felt like I was dying for these characters to speak more earnestly to one another. (Which they eventually do! HUZZAH!)

THINGS THAT DID WORK FOR ME:

1) Alex and Henry’s development after the 50% mark. I was so pleased when I got to the halfway point and realized the book was actually going to start dealing more with FEELINGS! Their emails to one another starting at this point in the story were probably my favorite part of the book. Both of them, but Henry in particular, started to feel like actual people with unique histories and lives and regrets and fears, all of which were very compelling. It finally started to make sense why they were drawn to each other, which I didn’t quite get in the first half. Clearly the Big Emotion Arrow struck true in my heart because I DID CRY AT ONE POINT. THAT HAPPENED. And McQuiston really showed up with some beautiful prose and some highlight-worthy heart wrenching passages. I think I would’ve been less frustrated with the lack of development earlier on if I knew a good deal of it would come later. Very pleased! :’)

2) The tone. A wonderful balancing act! This is certainly what I’d call a fluffy book, but it deals with a lot of serious things, many of which are upsetting. It does a wonderful job of navigating it all without flip-flopping awkwardly from super casual/lighthearted to doom and gloom and back again. The most appealing thing about this book for me is simply how it made me FEEL. It is, for the most part, a truly enjoyable read that brings tons of lightheartedness to the table but also tackles difficult things in a way that’s extremely cathartic. Plus, the whole story is built on a foundation of HOPE which can absolutely be felt even during the rough patches. To put it completely inelegantly, when things suck, it’s just nice to read a book that goes, “hey look, maybe some things can NOT completely suck.”

3) It’s predictable…in a good way. I’ve previously alluded to some ways in which this book was predictable in a not so great way, but predictability isn’t ALWAYS A BAD THING. Sometimes it just is, and sometimes it’s actually really frickin’ nice. I could absolutely see where this story was going, and for me that was a pleasant thing for a change. It meant that I trusted in McQuiston to not pull the rug out from under me, to not throw something unexpected and awful my way, to not make a U-turn at the last moment and refuse me the relief and joy I was waiting for. I wanted a bit of escapism and this absolutely delivered. And in a world that has seemed to increasingly value the tragic, the gritty, and unpredictability for unpredictability’s sake, that was a genuinely wonderful and kind thing to experience.

DEEP BREATH. OKAY.

There are other things I could talk about, such as this story not really knowing what it wants to be or its target audience (is this YA or NA? NA that just feels like YA? I don’t even know at this point), every iconic thing Henry said that made me giggle to myself alone in my room (”I truly think I disassociated straight (ha) out of the conversation,”) plus soooo much to say (OBVIOUSLY)—both good and bad—about the way this book deals with politics and its vision of America, which…there’s just not enough time in the day, folks. But this is already far too long and I can’t imagine anyone reading the whole thing.

So I’ll stop and say, lastly, that despite my many critiques, I’m glad this book has brought joy to so many people :’) 💛

Red, White & Royal Blue is an adorable romance between the First Son of the U.S. and the Prince of England. It’s a little of a hate to love story, but even when they’re fighting, Henry and Alex are awesome and interesting. I loved the main characters and the best friend/sibling side characters. The romance was the main story, but also it revolved around the re-election of the first female president and what this romance could do to both countries if it got out. I want an Alex & Henry sequel! Highly recommend for anyone who loves romance, or royal fanfics.

Feel like you've outgrown YA books? Don't like stories about politics? Same. But then THIS BOOK. I had my reservations up until the Great Turkey Calamity, then I just. Could. Not. Stop. Reading. I laughed, I cried, I had to blow my nose on the subway because I made the mistake of leaving the house.

I would recommend this book to anyone. Do you sort of like contemporary novels? Do you have mixed feelings about queer romance? TRY THIS. If you feel like you've been in a reading slump (as I was when I first started reading this), I strongly urge you to give this book a chance. Try it until Chapter 4, at the very least. You can't help but feel hopeful after reading Red, White & Royal Blue.

I loved all the characters and I enjoyed the different family dynamics and friendships, but Alex and Henry will always have a special place in my heart. Their relationship was hilarious and sweet and, at times, painful, but they somehow always made it easy to root for them. This story was an interesting portrayal of the lives of American politicians and English royalty (I won't even question the accuracy of it all, for fear of breaking my happy bubble), as well as a great escape from reality and the sameness of my student life. I'm sad to have finished the story, but I look forward to re-reading it in the future and to reading more from Casey McQuiston.

What a freaking awesome book. How much do I love these guys? Anyone who enjoyed Hugh Grant's storyline in Love Actually (Me!) and wished for an entire book in that vein will absolutely adore this. I can't wait to see what this author comes out with next.

Before I requested this book, I had actually heard quite a few amazing reviews. So that definitely didn’t make it hard to decide to request this one on Netgalley.

Red, White & Royal Blue has a plot that isn’t really unique in the way you know how it’s going to end, but the way we get that story is. I mean, I don’t think I’ve ever read a romance between the president’s son (and come on, we get a woman president in this book, that scores points!) and a prince. That’s just swoon-worthy to start with!

The characters in this story are in no way perfect and I loved that. Seeing both Alex and Henry figuring out how they feel, the characters surrounding them responding to that and on top of that, it wasn’t only romance. Alex really has to think about what he wants in life career-wise and I loved seeing that in this story as well.

From the start I wanted Alex and Henry to get a happily ever after. The banter and way they act with each other is hilarious and it only gets better when the romance gets going. I love how they communicated and the e-mails and texts were my favorite part of the book. I probably would’ve been completely okay with a book full of e-mails between these two.

I think the biggest compliment I can give Red, White & Royal Blue is that it gave me all the feels! While reading I laughed, cried, swooned and had a silly smile on my face. I really came to care for these characters and was actually really sad when the book was over.

I have a feeling Red, White & Royal Blue will be making my favorites list at the end of the year. It has amazing characters, swoon-worthy romance, humor, all the feels and to make it even more perfect, a ton of pop-culture references that made my heart very happy!